April 8, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan on a Vespa: Going Green in Sky Blue

Besides eating a vegan diet, there’s no more fun or stylish way to be eco-friendly than on the seat of a scooter. I love the classic quasi-retro lines of the Vespa (and with a name like DiJulio, I love all things Italian), but I’ve never met a scooter I didn’t like. Have you seen the mod flowered ones that Honda makes?

We bought mine in the fall of 2008 when I switched from a gas guzzler to a Prius. I have to confess that while one of my main motivations was a greener approach to transportation, high gas prices and a car that was expensive to maintain were also motivating factors. But it was my dad who suggested in response to my lament about the latter, “Why don’t you get yourself one of those scooters like the Italian girls ride?” (My husband’s and my families had all been on a trip to Italy together and we were taken with the stylish women, dressed for work, zipping down the cobblestone streets. So, alas, a fun, sporty European ride was also a motivating factor.) My response was, “You know, I just saw a sign that a local dealership is selling them, so I think I will.” And I did; that weekend.

My mom was ready to “throttle” him for suggesting such a thing. But I’m a very safe driver; I even read the Vespa safety manual online before setting off on my maiden trek to school. Though my scooter is fully street legal, it only travels at about 39 mph (with the windscreen added)–I wanted a 50cc engine in order not to have to obtain a motorcycle license–so I try to stay off of main in-town streets where the speed limit is 45 to avoid annoying other drivers and, frankly, to stay out of the fray.

I’m also a very fair weather rider and, sadly, didn’t ride the scooter much this school year, as it seemed I always had a big load of materials to take in, an afternoon meeting that was far away, or inclimate weather–what a wet year we’ve had. In fact, when our niece was here for Thanksgiving, she wanted to go for a ride with me, but it wouldn’t start–carburetor issues, it turns out–so it has sat idle all winter. I finally had it towed to the dealership last Thursday, just getting it back yesterday, and I plan to make up for some lost time. Fortunately for me, my school, bank, shopping destinations, grocery store, gyms, recreation, restaurants and lots of friends are only a short ride away.

Here’s to going “the greenest mile.”

April 7, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Dried Fig "Brandycakes" (Pancakes) with Vegan Maple-Brandy Rosemary-Pecan Syrup

I’m home on Spring Break this week with time to make weekend morning fare mid-week. I know these pancakes (dubbed “Brandycakes” by my husband) sound more fitting for autumn, but they were completely satisfying, even though we’re having 80 to 90-degree days.

When I was trying to imagine what would be compatible with the figs besides the dried spices, yet provide an unexpected twist, the brandy occurred to me first–I always have to sneak some of the “good stuff” for cooking when my husband is out of the house–but that didn’t seem quite layered enough. And then it hit me: fresh rosemary.

I think you’ll agree that this combination would be hard to beat in any season.

Yield: 8 pancakes

8 dried Mission figs, quartered and then finely chopped
2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup self-rising flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
4 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch ground mace or cloves
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good–regular or lite) + another tablespoon or two if needed
1/4 cup brandy
Vegan butter (I like Earth Balance) and/or vegetable oil for frying
Vegan Maple-Brandy-Rosemary-Pecan Syrup (recipe follows)
Garnish: per serving, 1 dried Mission fig, sliced lengthwise in half, and a tiny sprig of fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to warm. Place figs in a small cup or bowl and pour the first 2 tablespoons of brandy over. Allow to macerate while you prepare the rest of the batter. In a medium mixing bowl, place next 7 ingredients. Make a well in the center and spoon/pour in yogurt, soymilk and brandy. Stir together with a fork until well combined. Stir in figs and any remaining liquid. Melt 1 additional tablespoon of the vegan butter, the oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a 1/4 cup measure, make pancakes, two at a time. Cook a couple of minutes on the first side until you see a few bubbles, get a nice rise and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. (While pancakes cook, make syrup.) When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm in the preheated oven, and repeat with remaining butter and/or oil and pancake batter. Serve warm with syrup and garnish.

Vegan Maple-Brandy Rosemary-Pecan Syrup

2 tablespoon vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoon brandy
1/4 cup pecan pieces

In a small cast iron skillet over medium-high, melt butter. Add rosemary, bruising between your fingers as you drop it into the butter. And remaining ingredients, and heat slowly, stirring occasionally, for a couple of minutes. Reduce heat if bubbling too fast. If you heat it slowly, the brandy shouldn’t combust. If it does, it will burn off on its own. Keep syrup warm until serving time.

April 6, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Steak Sandwich Salad with Vegan Horsearadish-Mayo

Yield: 4-6 servings

No animal was harmed in the making of this sandwich, yet here it is in salad form: all of the things meat-eaters love about a juicy steak sandwich with onions and peppers and a dollop of horseradish-mayo piled high on a toasted sesame seed roll.

This salad is mouth-watering served in individual lettuce-lined bowls or martini glasses, but it is also a very tasty sandwich or unique pizza topping. In the photographed version, I combined the two by shaping my favorite pizza dough (made with half all-purpose and half whole wheat four) into four individual oblong pieces that were a little thicker than normal, baking them, and then splitting them lengthwise. A little extra horseradish-mayo moistens the bread or pizza crust nicely.

I made the photographed version of this salad with Morning Star brand barbecue riblets, though without most of the sauce that comes in the package. My intention was to use Morning Star Meal-Starters beef strips, but my grocery store was out of them. So, I decided to just go with the background hint of barbecue-style sweetness and play it up with a bit of celery since it is so good with vegan “wingz.” When I make the salad with beef strips (or home-made beef-flavored seitan), I may omit the celery; but we’ll see. It’s not a typical steak sandwich ingredient, but I love its juicy-crisp goodness.

8 ounces of vegan beef, such as beef-flavored seitan (homemade or purchased), Morning Star Meal Starters beef strips or Morning Star riblets without the sauce, cut into bite-size chunks or strips (if you use a frozen product, defrost before continuing with the recipe)
4 stalks celery, sliced lengthwise and medium-finely diced
6 green onions, the white part and only half of the green part, sliced thin
1/2 of a yellow pepper, stemmed, seeded, and medium-finely diced
16 grape tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
2 tablespoons horseradish
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Amino Acids
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
pinch garlic salt
coarse kosher or sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons sesame seeds, dry toasted in a small skillet over medium-high just until fragrant and golden

Gently mix together first five ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate small bowl or cup, whisk together mayonnaise and next five ingredients. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss together lightly. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top and either leave as a garnish or gently mix in. Serve in individual lettuce-lined bowls or martini glasses for a festive presentation, in a sandwich (preferably on warm, toasted bread) or piled on a warm homemade pizza crust.

April 4, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Quinoa Pilaf with Leeks, Edamame, Red Chard and Mushrooms

Yield: 8 servings

Today, our friends Diane O’Neal (who is also our top-notch dance teacher) and her partner Steven Taylor, invited us to his parents’ charming cottage near the beach for a lovely Easter feast with friends and family. It seems that around every corner in their eclectic art- and flower-filled home were beautiful vignettes of good wines and delectable food. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for such an occasion–sunny and warm–with company and conversation to match the gorgeous food and setting.

For my contribution, I set out to make a quinoa and red lentil pilaf using a recipe that I wanted to adapt. But I overcooked the lentils, which turned out to be a happy accident because I turned them into a Vegan Red Lentil and Pistachio Spread. I also didn’t have enough quinoa, so I mixed it with an equal amount of millet. Another happy “misfortune.” In the fridge, I had some leeks that I substituted for the onion and ravishing red chard that I subbed for regular chard. Since I couldn’t use the lentils, I needed another legume and decided on edamame, which I didn’t have, but I needed to run to the grocery store to purchase the mushrooms anyway. I do believe that the combination was spot-on in terms of texture, taste and color. A sprinkling of nutritional yeast deepened the flavors in just the right way and a garnish of pea sprouts and lemon zest finished off this hearty and savory, but springy, dish.

For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:

The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011

April 4, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Red Lentil and Pistachio Spread

Yield: approximately 3 cups

I took this deliciously different spread to a lovely Easter feast today (see Vegan Quinoa Pilaf with Leeks, Edamame, Red Chard and Mushrooms). The recipe is the result of my accidentally overcooking the lentils. I substituted edamame in the pilaf and created this winning spread from the lentils. You ‘gotta love those happy accidents. And I know you’ll love this dish too.

For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:

The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011

April 3, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Apple Butter and Bran Bud Muffins with Vegan Bran Bud Streusel

Yield: 15 or so muffins

I can’t believe it, but when I went to add the label for this post, I realized that I have no other muffin recipes posted. How can that be? I better get busy and rectify that situation and these moist extra-special “bakeshop” muffins are a fine place to start. Enjoy them with your morning coffee or tea or, heck, as I just did for an afternoon snack.

Muffin batter:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup Bran Buds cereal
1/4 cup brown sugar or maple syrup
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup apple butter (or any fruit butter you like; fruit butters contain no butter)
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup soy milk (unsweetened, plain, vanilla, lite or regular)
Vegan Bran Buds Streusel (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 15 muffin tins with muffin papers and set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine first 5 ingredients. In a small cup or bowl, combine apple butter and baking soda and stir until foamy. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the apple butter mixture, oil and soy milk. Stir with a wooden spoon just until completely combined. Using an ice cream scoop, place equal amounts of dough into each tin. Divide streusel evenly among muffins and make for 15-17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Vegan Bran Buds Streusel:
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup Bran Buds cereal
2 generous tablespoons vegan butter, softened (I like Earth Balance)
pinch cinnamon
1/2 cup soy milk

Mix with fingers until all ingredients are uniformly combined.

April 1, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Tempeh in Creamy Dijon-Mushroom Sauce

Yield: 4 servings (or 8 with a hearty side and/or salad)

This is from my “higher protein” series of recipes, great for weeknights, but special enough for company. The sauce is creamy, tangy, delicious and satisfying–a perfect foil for the crisp-coated tempeh–but it doesn’t contain greens, so be sure to serve a side or salad of something dark and leafy.

1/3 cup all-purpose flour (you can use whole wheat for a nuttier coating)
pinch coarse sea or kosher salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
pinch garlic powder
pinch onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2-8 ounce packages tempeh, each “slab,” cut into 4 equal pieces (I used the kind with wild rice because rice and mushrooms are so good together, but use whatever protein–including seitan or tofu–that you like
1 + 1 tablespoons vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
2 + 1 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 cup white wine or sherry
3/4 cup plain soy creamer
Garnish: paprika and parsley, minced or left as sprigs

Preheat oven to warm. Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a shallow bowl and dredge tempeh in the mixture. Meanwhile, in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon vegan butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil to shimmering. Saute tempeh for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Remove to a serving platter or individual plates and keep warm in the oven. Add remaining tablespoon of vegan butter and olive oil in skillet and, again, heat until shimmering. Add shallot and mushrooms and saute 2-3 minutes or until both begin to soften, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned flour from the bottom. Add mustard and whisk in until smooth. Do the same with the wine, followed by the creamer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until sauce is reduced by about half. Turn off heat and ladle sauce over tempeh. Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika and a little parsley. Serve immediately.

Source: Unknown (this is an old chicken recipe in my files from many many years ago before I was vegetarian that I have since veganized)

March 30, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Peanut Butter-Cream Cheese-Chocolate Chip Frosting

Okay, so I said that the only thing that might make my Vegan Peanut Butter, Banana, Graham Cracker Brownies better was frosting, but that that “almost seems too decadent if there is any such thing.” Turns out there isn’t. The brownies are really good unadorned. But, with this frosting, they should be a controlled substance.

1/4 cup vegan butter, softened (I like Earth Balance)
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup plain or chunky organic peanut butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract plus 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
up to approximately 3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips, slightly softened in microwave (some whole chips should remain)

In a small bowl, by hand or with an electric mixer, cream together first four ingredients. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth and the desired spreading consistency is reached. Then stir or beat in chocolate chips. Use to frost your favorite brownies or cupcakes.

March 28, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan White Beans and "Chicken" with Caramelized Onion, Golden Raisin and Toasted Pine Nut Ragout

Yield: 4 servings

Honestly, I could eat all four servings of this dish at one sitting. There is something about the balance of contrasting tastes and textures that absolutely does it for me. And setting the creamy melange off with a perky side salad of lightly dressed baby spinach and grape tomatoes just sends it right off the charts. I hope you agree.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small onions
3 cloves garlic
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup dry-sweet white wine
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary
2 tablespoon maple syrup
generous 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted in a small dry skillet on top of the stove, just until fragrant and barely golden
1 can white beans, preferably the tiny little ones (I didn’t drain and rinse them, as they had little “juice,” but you can if you prefer)
4 ounces Morning Star Meal Starters chicken flavored strips, thawed
optional: zest from 1/2 of a small lemon
optional garnish: additional parsley, pine nuts, and/or lemon wedges/zest
optional side salad: lightly dressed (I used walnut oil, vinegar, sea salt and pepper) baby spinach and halved grape tomatoes

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat oil to shimmering. Add onion, garlic, a little salt and some pepper and saute, stirring occasionally until onion is soft, slightly golden, and most of oil is absorbed. Add the tablespoon of water and continue sauteing onion and garlic until the water is evaporated. Add next 6 ingredients beginning with white wine and cook down for a total cooking time of about 12-15 minutes, including the sauteing, reducing heat to closer to medium if necessary. Add parsley, pine nuts, beans, faux chicken, and optional lemon zest, and heat through. Serve immediately garnished as desired and/or with a side salad.

March 28, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Peanut Butter, Banana, Graham Cracker Brownies

Yield: one 8″ pan of brownies

These brownies are chock-full of everything I love. The only thing that might make them better is a frosting, but that almost seems too decadent if there is any such thing. See what you think.

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 mashed over-ripe banana
1/4 cup crunchy or smooth organic peanut butter (I heat it for 10 seconds in microwave so that it is easy to incorporate into the batter)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup peanuts (I like the salted and roasted kind)
1/2 cup semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a metal 8-inch square metal pan. (If you use a 9-inch pan, you should probably only bake the brownies for 25 minutes.) Mix together first 7 ingredients. With a wooden spoon, stir together until all ingredients until they are completely combined. Then stir in peanuts and chocolate chips. Gently spread batter evenly in pan and bake for 30 minutes or until brownies are set and top is slightly glossy.